Wire-stretcher



(No Model.) f K G. Gu WITHAM. WIRE STRETGHBR.

No. 563,900. Patented July 14, 1896.

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UNITED STATES PATENT EETCEa GEORGE G. VITIIAM, OF LANSING, KANSAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO THOMAS P. FENLON, JR., OF LEAVENIVORTH, KANSAS.

WIRE-STRETCH ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 563,900, dated July 14, 1896.

Application filed April 22, 1896.

To all wtont t may concern.-

l Beit known that I, GEORGE G. IVITHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lansing, in the coun ty of Leavenworth and State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful Improvement in INire-Stretchers, of which the following is a specification. A

I have produced an improved tool for stretching wire in the construction of wire fences whereby the tool can be used in different positions in drawing the wire and for holding the wire while it is being stapled to the posts, as I will now describe in connection with the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure l shows the tool in one position in relation to the post and wire. Fig. 2 shows the tool in another position in relation to the post and Wire. Fig. 3 shows the tool as used for taking up slack in the wire, and Fig. d shows the tool in edge view.

The tool is formed of a single bar having at one end a gooseneck form, its other end forniing the handle. The gooseneck terminates in a hat point forming a split claw a. On the back of the bend the flat side is extended beyond the bend and forms a back split-claw point l), so that the gooseneck has a point and a back split claw. The point split claw is adapted for stretching the wire when the convex side of the gooseneck is made the fulcr'uin of the tool upon the post, and the back split claw is adapted for stretching the wire when the concave side of the gooseneck is made the fulcrum of the tool upon the post, whereby greater facility is aiorded in the use of the tool. The handle of the tool terminates in a .flat split claw c, and the handle has also a project-ing cutter d back of the point-claw c and a pronged or split nipple e at about the middle of the length of the handie. The back of the gooseneck at f may be used as a hammer for driving staples in securing the Wires. The claw at the handle end is for drawing staples, the cutter for cutting the wire, and the split nipple for taking up the vslack in the stapled wires by placing the wire in the split of the nipple and turning the handle to bend and wind the wire around the nipple, so as to take up the slack,

as seen in Fig. a.

Serial Nol 588,5d1. (No model.)

when the latter is fully stretched the handlel may be tied to the wire, as shown by dotted lines, so that the workman is then free to staple it to the post while the wire is held taut by the tool being held to the post by the tiecord. In this position of the tool the gooseneck and its iiat part between the point and back claws gives a long leverage to draw the wire toward the post.

For stretching comparatively long lengths of wire the concave side of the gooseneck is put around the post to forni the fulcro 11i-bean ing, and the wire is gripped in the bacl; claw l), so that by turning the handle around the post toward the Wire the gooseneck will act with a shorter leverage and draw the Wire over the fiat part between the point and the back claws, so that the handle can be tied to the post and the Wire can be stapled, as seen in Eig. i.

The convex side of the gooseneck may be formed with indentations the better to hold and prevent the slipping of the tool on the post.

In stretching the wire it will lie upon the part of the gooseneck between the claws and be engaged with both claws, so that the Wire cannot slip off the iiat part as the tool is turned. v

The gripping-claws may have projections g on each side of the gripping-slots to prevent the wire from slipping off sidewise and to render its engagement with the gripping-slots certain.

I claini as my improvementl. Awire-stretcher consisting of a bar having a gooseneek form at one end its bend terminating in a fiat part on its convex side, said flat part having a longitudinal gripping-slot at each end forming a double grip-claw, the

IOO

other end of said bai' forming the handle, and the gooseneek affording the fulerum for the level.l action.

2. Awire-streteher consisting of a bar llaving a gooseneek form at one end its bend terminating in a flat part on its Convex side, a longitudinal gripping-slot in eaeh end of the fiat part forming a double grip-claw, and a handle part terminating in a split grip-claw and having a divided nipple and a cutter on the handle part.

3. AWire-streteher Consisting of a bar having a gooseneek form at one end terminating in a split grip-claw, its other end forming a handle terminating in a split grip-claw, and having a split nipple between the gooseneek and the handle part, as described.

4:. A Wirestreteher Consisting of a bar having a gooseneek form at one end terminating in a nat part on its convex side having a gripping-slot at each end and a proj eetion on each side of the slot, and a split nipple on the liandle part for the purpose stated.

5. AWii-e-stretcher consisting of a bar teiminating at one end in a gooseneek form the back of the bend of which has a split claw extending away from the point and overlapping the eonvexside of the bend, for the puipose stated.

GEORGE G. VITHAM.

lVit-nesses BENJAMIN F. ENDRES, JOHN A. DOUGHER'LY.` 

